Blue Dragon
| patron deity = Tiamat | allegiance = Clergy of Tiamat | enemies = | ageoftga = Third Age }} The Blue Dragon, also known as Ao Ryuu, is a powerful group of loosely allied pirates in Yamato who ultimately answer to the Pirate King, Kuro Tori. The pirates lead raids from the dreaded Shipwreck Cove hidden in the archipelago of Western Yamato. Many of them worship Tiamat, Goddess of the Sea, and thus view the Clergy of Tiamat with more respect than other factions. They were a sizable force until the Unification of Yamato when Shogun Masamori Hyuga's forces abducted many of their captains, most notably Yousei Kaizoku, and turned them into brainwashed agents of the Yamato Empire. The pirates recovered from these setbacks, however, and began regrouping after the Cataclysm, swearing allegiance to no one but themselves. They are currently opposing the Western Horde. History Rise to Prominence Kuro Tori, an elven pirate, slowly rose to prominence from humble beginnings in Yamato. His charisma and ruthlessness attracted many a pirate to him, and his crew grew over the years, becoming one of the most notorious ones in Yamato as they raided coastal towns which were under the protection of Emperor Takeshi Ofuchi. Kuro Tori was devoted to Tiamat, Goddess of the Sea, and founded his own pirate kingdom and named it--as well as his growing crew--as the Blue Dragon in honour of Tiamat while he became known as the Pirate King due to his influence. Because of this connection, the pirates tolerated the Clergy of Tiamat more than other factions in Yamato. The Emperor failed to catch the elusive Pirate King and his captains, and the bounty on his and the Blue Dragons' head was higher than other pirate crews'. The status quo changed when Shogun Masamori Hyuga usurped power from the Emperor and began the Unification of Yamato with help from the Clergy of Mardük. They forced several autonomous regions in Yamato under the Shogunate's rule and mercilessly hunted down any bandits and pirates they came across. These hunts led to captures of several of Kuro Tori's trusted captains, among them Yousei Kaizoku, and the caught pirates were either executed or brainwashed to serve the Shogun. During all this time, Kuro Tori laid low in his stronghold with the remaining Blue Dragons, waiting for an opportunity to strike back at the Shogun. A golden opportunity presented itself to the Blue Dragons during the final years of the Great War when the Grand Alliance invaded Yamato and forced the shogunate to focus on the invaders. The pirates used the ensuing chaos to their advantage and looted several towns to resupply their weakened forces but were forced to flee when the Cataclysm struck, and hordes of demons invaded through the Gate of Darkness and took over Yamato. Dawn of a New Era The pirates' former stronghold, Pirate's Cove, was destroyed as the continents of the world shifted and the water masses covered and unearthed several areas in the Yamatian archipelago due to the shock caused by the Cataclysm. They relocated to a new cove far in the north in the ruins of an ancient Yamatian town once known as Lion's Arch and renamed it Shipwreck Cove because of the multitude of ships that had been stranded there. The cove was a natural safe haven for the pirates, being protected by treacherous reefs which led to a caldera similar to the one in their former stronghold. However, the cove lay in the no man's land between the duchies controlled by several demon hordes, so Kuro Tori ordered the port city to be cloaked by elaborate illusions to elude any demonic pursuers. One of the most impressive magical feats was using bardic magic and a special song of power to move a huge rock which would otherwise hide the entrance to the treacherous reefs leading into Shipwreck Cove. In the years since the Cataclysm, the Blue Dragon pirates raided several vessels owned by demons as well as Yamatians who had sided with demons. They particularly targeted the port city of Oreinashi where one of their old enemies from the Shogunate's days, Daimyo Izuru Takene who was now serving demons, resided. These bold raids gained the ire of the Western Horde and the horde's leader Duke Pazuzu who carried on the tradition begun by the Emperor and the Shogun by putting a bounty on the heads of the Blue Dragons. Notable members Active members *Addy - pirate captain of the Moldy Crow *Alicanto Ke - Lady High Treasurer *Bai Gu Jing - Pirate King's adopted "daughter" *Decanus Tafford - pirate captain of the Morning Star *Kuro Tori - Pirate King *Mammon - sculptor *Michael Daren - pirate *Oscar Locke - pirate captain *Silk - bard mentor *Susumu Kawamoto - pirate *Velvet - bard apprentice Former members *Hiroki Hyuga - necromancer and Kuro Tori's interpreter *Kusotare - pirate captain (dead) *Thistlire - red mage *Uminoko Kawamoto - pirate captain *Wilheim Maddingway - pirate (dead) *Yousei Kaizoku - pirate captain Vessels *Aozora *Big Ugly Ogre *Highwayman *Moldy Crow *Morning Star *Seastrider See also *Shipwreck Cove *Tiamat *Western Horde * Category:Factions Category:Third Age Category:Yamato